Herbs from an elongate, nar­rowly fusiform, woody tap­root. Stems procumbent or creeping, rooting at nodes, sometimes climbing-sprawling but not twining, densely short-tomentose to hirsute-villous, hairs spreading to erect, irreg­ularly oriented. Leaflets 3, blades elliptic to broadly elliptic, (14–)20–55 × (10–)15–35 mm, herbaceous, thickened-leathery, veins not raised, apex rounded to truncate, commonly shallowly retuse, surfaces much darker adaxially, sparsely, persistently strigose-sericeous adaxially with loosely appressed hairs. Inflo­rescences: flowers 5–12(–25) in pseudoracemes on distal 1/4–1/2 of axis, in fascicles; axis 20–100(–130) mm. Flowers: calyx 7–8 mm, villous, lobes greenish yellow to tan on inner surface when dry; corolla not persisting after anthesis, pink to purple or rose-purple, lighter when dry, 12–15 mm. Legumes straight, 30–45 × 3–4(–5) mm, densely villous-hirsute. Seeds 7–11.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Aug(–Sep).
Habitat: Open pine woods, pine barrens, longleaf pine-turkey oak-blue oak woods, sandhill scrub, sandhills, roadsides.
Elevation: 10–30 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss.

Discussion

J. K. Small (1903, 1913, 1933) distinguished Galactia brevipes from G. floridana by its panicles longer than leaves and its separated flower clusters (versus panicles shorter or slightly longer than leaves and flower clusters approximate). Intermediate forms are common. Isolated localities in Alabama and Louisiana are disjunct from the main range.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.